Tag: The Renaissance

Four top-10 players miss cut at Genesis Scottish Open week before 150th Open Championship in St. Andrews

Many of the world’s best will start their Open preparation earlier than expected.

Being on the wrong side of the luck of the draw did in some of the biggest names in golf at the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland.

After sublime conditions Thursday morning, the winds picked up and the temps dropped for the second wave of players. And their scorecards reflected the change Mother Nature dished up.

While Cameron Tringale – looking for his first PGA Tour title – scorched the layout with a 9-under 61 in calm conditions in the a.m. to grab the lead, those going out in the afternoon wave dealt with ferocious winds that did all sorts of things to the golf ball.

The best round among the second wave was turned in by Kurt Kitayama with a 66. In the morning, 32 players turned in scores in the 60s; in the afternoon, just six. Those going off late averaged 73.5 strokes, three shots higher than in the morning.

Many players paid the price, including Collin Morikawa, Will Zalatoris and Justin Thomas. And with winds challenging players in Friday’s second round, staging a comeback was not easy.

Scottish Open: PGA Tour Live on ESPN+

Missing the cut before the 150th playing of the Open Championship at the Old Course in St. Andrews wouldn’t seem beneficial. Then again, players could get two extra days of practice at the Home of Golf.

The cut came in at 3 over, with 72 players advancing to the final two rounds.

Here are the big names packing their bags:

In first event since winning U.S. Open, Jon Rahm co-leads at Scottish Open

An odd incident just prior to the opening tee shot of the day didn’t throw Jon Rahm off his game, as he fired a second-round 65.

Three weeks ago, Jon Rahm stormed the back nine at Torrey Pines and claimed his first major championship at the U.S. Open.

He hasn’t teed it up since but so far, so good at the abrdn Scottish Open this week.

Rahm shot a second-round 65 and is tied with Thomas Detry after 36 holes at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland. Those two have matched each other both days so far, shooting 66s on Thursday and 65s on Friday.

Rahm played the back nine first and threw six birdies on his score card to make the turn in 29.

“I think we were fortunate the first seven, eight holes, really no wind at all. So when you play an a links golf course with no wind, you can make some birdies,” Rahm said after his round.

There was a weird incident on the 10th tee box, his first of the day. As he and playing partners Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas were chatting before teeing off, a man walked on the tee box, took a club and head cover out of McIlroy’s golf bag and set up as if he was going to hit the head cover. As the golfers looked on in bewilderment, security approached the man and without incident, escorted him off the property.

abrdn Scottish Open: Leaderboard | Photos

The tournament has a stacked field and the big names are gathering near the top of the leaderboard, with Thomas, Matt Fitzpatrick, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter all in the top 10 so far. McIlroy, however, is 1 under and is in a tie for 91st, 10 shots off the lead.

The 149th Open Championship is next week at Royal St. George’s in England.

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Scottish Open: Connor Syme’s head not turned despite lure of Open Championship place

Like a siren singing on a rocky outcrop, the lure of an Open Championship place can be a major distraction.

Like a siren singing on a rocky outcrop, the lure of an Open Championship place can be a major distraction.

Three places for next week’s Sandwich showpiece are up for grabs in the last chance saloon of the abrdn Scottish Open but Connor Syme is not getting his head turned by this particular temptation.

After a four-under 67 at The Renaissance, the same score as fellow Scots David Law, Grant Forrest and Richie Ramsay, Syme is simply focusing on the task in hand.

Asked if those Open spots were a big incentive this week, Syme, who played in the 2017 and 2019 championships, said: “Not really. I know how special it is to play The Open. But it’s so up on the air. I’m just trying to have a good week here and see where that ends up.”

With an $8 million purse and some of the world’s best competing alongside him, the home comforts of the Scottish Open certainly stir the senses. “This is like a major for us lads,” added Syme, who has posted a third and a fifth on the European Tour this season.

Some of the other tartan lads made a decent fist of it, too, with Forrest, Law and Ramsay all sitting in the upper echelons on that four-under mark.

Robert MacIntyre, meanwhile, finished a stroke further back at 3-under after an eventful round. The world No. 51 began his campaign with back-to-back birdies on his first two holes but was level-par again by the turn.

The Oban left-hander finished with a flourish, though, and birdied three of his closing five holes which included a delightfully executed flop-shot on his final hole which trundled in for a two.

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